The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of hybrid Baptisia plant, botanically an interspecific hybrid in origin and known as Baptisia ‘Lemon Merinque’ and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Lemon Merinque’. The new cultivar represents a new false indigo, an herbaceous perennial grown for ornamental landscape use.
The new invention arose from an ongoing controlled breeding program in Waseca, Minn. The breeding program was established by the Inventor in 1998 with the goal of developing Baptisia hybrids with unique flower colors and plant habits.
‘Lemon Merinque’ was derived from a cross made in 2003 between an unnamed plant of Baptisia sphaerocarpa as the female parent and an unnamed plant selection of Baptisia alba var. alba as the male parent. ‘Lemon Merinque’ was selected in 2007 as a single unique plant amongst the resulting seed progeny.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings in June of 2008 in Zeeland, Mich. under the direction of the Inventor. The characteristics of this cultivar have been determined to be stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.